The Cowboys have already taken a hit on the offensive line, and now they’re losing another body from the practice squad.
Green Bay is signing former Pro Bowl guard Laken Tomlinson away from Dallas, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo. Rapoport wrote: "Long-time NFL guard Laken Tomlinson is being signed by the Packers off the Cowboys' practice squad," he wrote. "At age 34, with 162 starts under his belt, Tomlinson will help an O-line that needs it."
Tomlinson had just joined Dallas in the second week of this month as the Cowboys searched for insurance at guard after All-Pro Tyler Smith was put on injured reserve following thumb surgery. But Tomlinson never got into a game for Dallas across the team’s first two.
The veteran’s résumé is a long one. A first-round pick by the Detroit Lions in 2015, Tomlinson has spent 11 seasons in the league and has appeared in 173 games, starting 162 of them.
His best year came in 2021, when he earned a Pro Bowl nod with the San Francisco 49ers. He has also spent time with the New York Jets, Seattle Seahawks, and most recently the Houston Texans in 2025.
Dallas now has only two offensive linemen left on its practice squad, and neither brings guard experience. Marcellus Johnson is listed as an offensive tackle and has never played a snap in the NFL, while Wanya Morris has only played left and right tackle during his three-year career.
That could leave the Cowboys looking for another guard sooner rather than later, at least until Smith is eligible to return from IR after Week 4.
For Green Bay, the move comes at a time when the offensive line is in rough shape. The Packers were without Aaron Banks and Zach Bako-Bewele in Week 3, and Bako-Bewele is out for the season after tearing his patellar tendon.
The protection issues have shown up fast. Jordan Love has already been sacked eight times, tied for the second-most in the NFL, and the Packers have allowed 57 pressures in three games, according to Pro Football Focus.
Tomlinson’s last season with the Texans included 10 games played, three sacks allowed, and 11 pressures surrendered, along with run-blocking and pass-blocking grades of 57.1 and 55.4.
Whether he can steady Green Bay’s front remains to be seen, but the Packers clearly needed help. And with the Cowboys scheduled to visit Lambeau Field in Week 6, Tomlinson could end up seeing his former team sooner than expected.
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